History of Saurashtra’s literature Part-1

I belong to Saurashtra and yet I must admit that I am not very familiar with its rich literature. There must be many like me and so this post to throw some light on the history of literature in Saurashtra from the book Saurashtra No Itihas -1807-1948 by S.V. Jani. Some excerpts from the book are translated from Gujarati by me here:

“...Narsinh Mehta seems to be the first point/dot who contributed to the literature of Saurashtra...someone who can be considered equal to him was poetess Ganga Sati of Samadhiyala near Dhasa. The Pads [sonnets/verses/rhymes] she had written addressing her daughter-in-law Panbai are known as ‘rural Upnishads’. Her poetry is very popular among the Bhajan Mandlis for example:” [one of the popular songs of Ganga Sati is as follows]:

મેરુ તો ડગે જેનાં મન નવ ડગે, પાનબાઈ, મરને ભાંગી પડે બ્રહ્માંડજી;
વિપત્તિ પડે તોય વણસે નહીં; સોઈ હરિજનનાં પ્રમાણજી.
ચિત્તની વૃતિ જેની સદા રહે નિર્મળી, ને કરે નહીં કોઈની આશજી;
દાન દેવે પણ રહે અજાચી, રાખે વચનમાં વિશ્વાસ જી – મેરુ.
હરખ ને શોકની આવે નહી હેડકી, આઠે પહોર રહે આનંદજી,
નિત્ય રહે સત્સંગમાં ને, ડે માયા કેરા ફંદજી – મેરુ.
તન મન ધન જેણે ગુરુને અર્પ્યાં, તેનું નામ નિજારી નર ને નારજી,
એકાંતે બેસીને અલખ આરાધે તો, અલખ પધારે એને દ્વારજી – મેરુ.
સતગુરુ વચનમાં શૂરા થઈ ચાલે, શીશ તો કર્યાં કુરબાન રે,
સંકલ્પ વિકલ્પ એકે નહિ ઉરમાં, જેણે મેલ્યાં અંતરનાં માન રે – મેરુ.
સંગત કરો તો એવાની કરજો, જે ભજનમાં રહે ભરપુરજી,
ગંગા સતી એમ બોલિયાં, પાનબાઈ જેનાં નેણોમાં વરસે ઝાઝાં નૂરજી – મેરુ.
Source: http://www.swargarohan.org/ganga-sati/002

“Similarly, Pipa Bhagat’s poems, composed six hundred years ago had become popular among the people. Pipa Bhagat belonged to Pipavav. Gemal Bhagat of village Kukad in Ghogha Taluka had composed such superior form of Garbis [songs] that these are popular even today...

“In the early nineteenth century, a reformer Sahajanand Swami of Saurashtra through his literature contributed significantly in bringing about good conduct among the people...Earlier known as Lalji Suthar but later known as Sant Nishkulanand composed twenty two volumes of poetry...Similarly in the early nineteenth century... Bhoja Bhagat born in Devkigalol is famous...his creations of poems are known as ‘Chabhka’ [poetry/verses with sharp messages or advise], which  are very popular... As is the case in Gujarati language Akha [famous poet from Gujarat] Na Chappa [poems with six lines], Narsinh Mehta’s Prabhatiyas [songs sung in praise of God in the morning], Dayaram’s Garbi [a form of song], Pritam’s Pads [verses], Dhira’s Kafi [one mode of song and music], Bhoja Bhagat’s Chabkha are very popular. Many critics call Bhoja Bhagat the Kabir of Saurashtra...’

One of his popular verses is as follows:

‘Duniya Bhrmava Bholi Re, Chaliyo Bavo Bhabhuti Choli Re,

Dora Dhaga Ne Chitthi Kare, Bavo Ape Gunkari Goli e,

Chela Cheli Ne Bhega Kari, Bavo Khay Khir Khand Ane Poli Re,

Bhoja Bhagat Kahe Bhavsagarma, Bave [Bavae] Marya Boli Re.'

“Dalpatram Travadi who was born in Wadhwan is considered historically as one of the pioneer poets of modern Gujarati literature. His play Mithyaabhiman, and writings tilted ‘Dalpat Pingal' and 'Kavya Dohan' are his main contributions...he has written ‘Vijayvinod’ and ‘Vijaykashma’ in praise of the Bhavnagar Maharaja Vijaysinhji Gohil and ‘Takthavilas’, in praise of Takhtasinhji...

Dalpatram Travadi Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dalpatram#/media/File:Kavi_Dalpatram.JPG

'In the eighteenth century, the ruler of Rajkot, Mehramanji the third, gained popularity by writing a volume titled, ‘Pravinsagar’, in Hindi. Later in the nineteenth century, Lathi’s ruler Sursinhji Takthasinhji Gohil’s poetry...became popular. He preferred to be called Kalapi...he has written 275 poems...his literature in the form of letters is also very rich. Six hundred and seventy-nine of his letters have been published...”

Kalapi Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kalapi

One of the popular poems of Kalapi is titled Eak Ghaa:

તે પંખીની ઉપર પથરો ફેંકતા ફેફી દીધો, છૂટ્યો તે ને અરરર! પડી ફાળ હૈયા મહીં તો!
રે રે! લાગ્યો દિલ પર અને શ્વાસ રૂંધાઇ જાતાં, નીચે આવ્યું તરુ ઉપરથી પાંખ ઢીલી થતાંમાં.

મેં પાળ્યું તે તરફડી મરે હસ્ત મ્હારા જ-થી આ, પાણી છાંટ્યું દિલ ધડકતે તોય ઊઠી શક્યું ના;
ક્યાંથી ઊઠે? જખ્મ દિલનો ક્રૂર હસ્તે કરેલો! ક્યાંથી ઊઠે! હ્રદય કુમળું છેક તેનું અહોહો!

આહા! કિંતુ કળ ઊતરી ને આંખ તો ઊઘડી એ, મૃત્યુ થાશે? જીવ ઊગરશે? કોણ જાણી શકે એ?
જીવ્યું, આહા! મધુર ગમતાં ગીત ગાવા ફરીને, આ વાડીનાં મધુર ફલને ચાખવાને ફરીને.

રે રે! કિંતુ ફરી કદી હવે પાસ મ્હારી ન આવે, આવે તોયે ડરી ડરી અને ઇચ્છતું ઊડવાને;
રે રે! શ્રદ્ધા ગત થઇ પછી કોઇ કાળે ન આવે, લાગ્યા ઘાને વીસરી શકવા કાંઇ સામર્થ્ય ના છે.

Source: http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/ek-ghaa/

‘Kalapi’s uncle and Gondal’s ruler Bhagwatsinhji is generally known for the work of the encyclopaedia titled ‘Bhagwadgomandal’[1 ] and he is praised for the same. But he had maintained a diary of his travels to England and Europe at the age of eighteen. This added to the literature...Moreover to get the degree of MD in England, he had written an essay titled, ‘Brief History of Ayurveda’...

 H.H Bhagwatsinhji. Source:https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons

‘Junagadh’s Diwan, Amarji Nanavati’s son, Diwan Ranchodji, wrote Saurashtra’s history in Persian language titled ‘Tarikh-e-Sorath-v-Halar’, which became famous and he gained popularity...Similarly the Diwan of Bhavnagar Gaga Oza, after taking sanyast [2] wrote ‘Swaroopanusandhan’, based on Vedanta...He had also started a monthly magazine titled, ‘Manoranjan Patra’. The compilation of his poems as ‘Ughadi Rakhjo Bari’ and ‘Mitra’, introduces one to his poetry. ..Moreover his articles have been complied and published as ‘Eak Vrudh ni Vicharpothi’ and ‘Vatona Bodh’. Manishanker Jatashanker Kikani of Rajkot...had written books like, ‘Dharmamala’, ‘Manvi ni Bhasha’, ‘Gayanavli’, etc...

‘Col. J.W.Watson, who was once the political agent based at Rajkot, wrote ‘Kathiawad gazetteer’...which even today is a volume that gives fundamental and diverse information about Saurashtra...he wrote the ‘Statistical Accounts’  of the States of Bhavnagar, Navanagar, Porbandar and Junagadh...all these volumes were written between the years 1880 and 1885.....Political agent of Kathiawad, Wilberforce Bele wrote ‘History of Kathiawad’, which was published from London in the year 1916...Saurashtra’s agent’s judicial assistant C.A.Kinkei’s book, ‘Outlaws of Kathiawad’, was published in the year 1905. He has written about several ‘Baharwatiyas’ [outlaws of Saurashtra]. C.J.Maine who was the principal of Rajkumar College for twenty years wrote ‘History of Dhrangadhra State’. Thus these English administrators have contributed to the diverse history of Saurashtra in English... 

‘Contribution to historical writing by Bhagvanlal Bhatt of Junagadh is very significant...he had written thirty six articles regarding archaeology, inscriptions, coins, etc...his work was recognized and he was awarded honorary PhD by Leiden university of Germany in the year 1884...Girijashanker Vallabhji Acharya who was the curator at Watson Museum [Rajkot] by publishing in three parts, ‘Historical Inscriptions of Gujarat’, contributed significantly to this field... Junagadh’s Bhagvanlal Sampatram Chatrapati, wrote “Saurashtra Desh No Itihas.’

Watson Museum, Rajkot. Source: https://en.wikipedia.org

Further information will be covered in the Part -2 of this post.

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[1] http://www.bhagvadgomandal.com/

[2] Renouncing the world and becoming a Sanyasi.